Compoundable arrangements for making display units for bottles

ABSTRACT

This invention comprises compoundable units adapted to be tiered for making display arrangements for cylindrical bottles of various sizes, and facilitating the disposition of the bottles in either a horizontal or an inclined position with their necks pointing either upwards or downwards. Each unit has one or more horizontal elements therein, comprising frame members defining planes or shelves in the centers of which there are formed openings of an appropriate profile. Each opening includes polygonally-shaped portions which are symmetrically positioned along the major axes of each of the shelves. Said units are adapted to be alternatively positioned into nested relationship for packaging and/or storage.

United States Patent Prosdocimo et al.

1111 3,807,573 1451 Apr. 30, 1974 COMPOUNDABLE ARRANGEMENTS FOR MAKING DISPLAY UNITS FOR BOTTLES Inventors: Giordano Prosdocimo; Giacorno Brusadin, both of Pordenone, Italy Uniflex S.n.C., Reveredo in Piano, Italy Filed: Aug. 31, 1971 Appl. No.: 176,573

Assignee:

Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 4, 1970 Italy 45710/70 R18,l53 8/1931 Horwath 248/152 1,684,124 9/1928 Burgess 211/73 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 19,039 10/1892 Great Britain 211/74 1,039,615 8/1966 Great Britain.... 220/97 D 1,363,467 5/1964 France 211/74 1,424,331 11/1965 Frances" 211/74 504,641 7/1954 1 Canada 211/73 Primary Examiner-Roy D. Frazier Assistant ExaminerAbraham Frankel Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Eric H. Waters [5 7] ABSTRACT This invention comprises compoundable units adapted to be tiered for making display arrangements for cylindrical bottles of various sizes, and facilitating the dis-' position of the bottles in either a horizontal or an inclined position with their necks pointing either upwards or downwards. Each unit has one or more horizontal elements therein, comprising frame members [56.] References Cited defining planes or shelves in the centers of which UNITED STATES PATENTS there are formed openings of an appropriate profile. 1,004,159 9/1911 Freerks 217/205 x Each p g includes p y yp Portions 1,975,128 10/1934 Sherman 217/265 X which are symmetrically positioned along the major 2,005,939 6/1935 Hibbard.. 211/74 axes of each of the shelves. Said units are adapted to 2,417,123 3/ 1947 PP- 211/74 be alternatively positioned into nested relationship for 2,568,769 9/1951 Shepard 206/65 R packaging and/or Storagg 3,200,943 8/1965 Waterbury 220/23.6 X 3,481,507 12/1909 Sanders 211/126 X 7 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures 16 A 18 19 1 14 1 23 11. 11. 17 19 1 1 A\ A 1 n, 1 14 o 17 gas g n 19 20 1s 9 '1 19 20 1a 17 19 20 18 17 15 16 1 217 18 19 5 1290 16 19 0--- 49 22 I 20 18 I i Q O 710 1 5 11510 10 I 10 Z18 PATENTEBAPR 30 m4 SHEET 1 OF 6 PATEmimraao 19m 3.807. 7

sum 2 or a PA TENTED APR 30 7 saw 5 or 6 COMPOUNDABLE ARRANGEMENTS FOR MAKING DISPLAY UNITS FOR BOTTLES The present invention relates to compoundable units with which it is possible to form display arrangements for cylindrical bottles, characterized in that their overall size with regard to packaging and/or storage is very small. The display arrangement constructed from the units may assume various dimensions, each unit being composed of one or more horizontal elements, forming the object of the present invention and being variable at will. The bottles may be rested inthe elements with their axes either horizontal or in two additional different positions, namely with their stoppers pointing either upwards or downwards. The bottles may be of different diameters.

Various systems are known for holding bottles, from primitive systems consisting of frames with simple shelves to the most modern systems consisting of frames of pressed plastics material, each containing a number of bottles which may be disposed with their axes inclined in two positions, i.e., with the stoppers pointing upwards or downwards.

Traditional frames give rise to the disadvantages of having to be constructed as a single complex, of not normally being capable of being disassembled -nor of varying at will their dimensions or positioning, and moreover the bottles are normally disposed only in the vertical position. Other positions such as the horizontal or inclined positions lead to constructional complications in the shelves, which have to be completed by transversal, front or back elements of varying shapes,

and normally the position of the bottles in the frame is unique and invariable.

Considerable progress has been made with most recent systems consisting of small'superimposable frames which are often constructed from molded plastics. In these systems the bottles, normally six in number, can be placed parallel one to the other in two distinct inclined positions, with the stoppers pointing either upwards or downwards. The horizontal position is absent and moreover the overall dimensions with regard to packing and/or storage of these frames are considerable. In fact each element occupies its own volume and cannot contain otherv elements.

The object of the present invention is that of obviating the aforementioned disadvantages.

All these objects are attained by an element forming part of eachunit according to the present invention which is characterized in that it consists essentially of a frame constituting a simple member defining a plane in which a suitably shaped opening is formed into which a part of a bottle may penetrate in a stable manner so as to give the bottle various inclinations. Moreover the surfaces of the lateral and frontal walls, internal ribbing and connecting elements of each unit are inclined so as to permit the co-penetration of each frame, of the units, resulting in an arrangement which is very useful for purposes of storage and/or packaging in general.

The invention will be described in detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings which show and illustrate the underlying principle together with a possible preferred, exemplary embodiment of the compoundable unit elements of the invention, wherein FIG. 1 is an explanatory perspective view showing the intersection of a plane and a cylinder;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a plane with an opening cut along the line of intersection of the plane and the cylinder in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a plane in a frame member, with an opening shaped according to the invention;

FIG. 4 shows a section on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3 and the disposition of two types of bottles upwardly titled with their stoppers FIG. 5 shows the same section as FIG. 4 and the disposition of the bottles but inclined with their stoppers downwards;

FIG. 6 shows the same section with a bottle disposed horizontally;

FIG. 7 shows a frontal view of the compoundable unit of the invention, part partly sectioned on the line 7-7 of FIG. 8; v

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the unit of FIG. 7:

FIG. 9 is a lateral view of the unit of FIGS. 7 and 8;

A taken on the line 11-l1 of FIG. 7, showing the units in tiered relationship.

FIG. 13 shows the disposition of units forming a display arrangement, with two different possible starting bases or resting planes; and

FIG. 14 shows a partially sectional and partially full view of two of the units in question, one nested within the other, in the disposition which reduces over-all size with regard to packaging and/or storage.

FIG. 1 illustrates the basic principle of the system which allows the bottles to be disposed inclined by using a simple plane in which an opening of suitable shape is formed. This FIG. shows how a cylinder (0), inclined with respect to the plane (P) and intersecting it, forms a geometrical planar section (R) within the curve ofintersection of the and the cylinder, consisting of a semi-ellipse,(S) and a straight segment (O) which latter includes the minor axis of the ellipse. In this illustration the straight segment (Q) is equal to the diameter of the cylinder.

It is understandable that by varying the ratio of the minor axis (Q) to the major axis of the ellipse, various inclinations of the cylinder (0) with respect to the plane (P) can be obtained.

Moreover if the diameter of the cylinder is greater than the minor axis (Q) of the planar section, the figure will always be the same, with only the inclination of the cylinder (0) with respect to the plane (P) being reduced. Thus by making an opening in the plane (P) of the same shape as the semi-elliptical section (R), the cylinder (0) can penetrate the plane (P) and be disposed inclined to it, but in no case can it pass through said plane because of the maximum transversal dimension of the cylinder, which in practise is its diameter, is always greater than the corresponding transversal dimension of the semi-ellipse (S).

In practice the bottles for which'the compoundable unit element of the invention has been designed consist essentially of a cylindrical body which terminates at one extremity with a progressive reduction in diameter, thus forming its neck.

It can be understood that the neck may terminate in either the upper or lower end of the cylinder shown in the FIG. The cylinder, which in practice represents the body of the bottle, will always be positioned in the same manner, but there will be two different positions of the bottle, namely one position with the stopper pointing upwards and another with the stopper pointing downwards.

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the single plane (P) in which the semi-elliptical opening (R) is formed, the edges of which are constituted by the straight section (Q) (minor axis of the semi-ellipse) and the curved section (S) of semi-elliptical shape.

FIG. 3 shows how the positioning plane for the bottles appears in practice.

The opening formed in said plane represents a more elaborate figure than that shown in FIG. 2 for the reasons which will be stated hereinafter.

FIG. 3 shows a positioning plane 1 for the bottles, the opening formed in the said plane consisting of a complex geometrical figure in which the characteristic points of its profile are indicated by the letters AB-C-DE-F-GI-IILM-N-. This figure shows a semi-ellipse (2) with the minor axis F-I-I and vertex G, another semi-ellipse (3) with its minor axis D-L smaller and its vertex again at G, and a broken line (4) formed by the irregular polygon ABCM-N.

It can be seen that the semi-elliptical profile (3) exists in practise only through the sections D-E and L-l and and through a section about the vertex G where the curves (2) and (3) are practically coincident. The rest of the profile does not exist and is shown only for illustration purposes by means of a broken line.

The successive FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 clearly illustrate the applicationof the shape of the figure formed by the opening in the positioning plane for the bottles. Said FIGS. are all sections on the line 4-4 of the plane (1) OF FIG. 3 and show the various possible dispositions of bottles of different diameters. In describing these figures reference is made continually to FIG. 3 and to its characteristic letters and numbers.

FIG. 4 shows the plane (1) (sectioned on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3), a bottle (5) of large diameter and a bottle (6) of small diameter. The bottle (5) rests with its base on the straight sections E-F and H-I and with its cylindrical part along the semi-elliptical line (2). The bottle (6), however, rests with its base on the straight sections C-D and L-M and with its cylindrical part along some sections of the semi-ellipse (3), namely the sections D-E, I-L and part of the curve, about the vertex G where as previously stated the curves (2) and (3) are coincident. By being positioned in this manner, the bottles have their axes inclined to the plane and their stoppers pointing upwards (dry stopper arrangement).

FIG. 5 shows the plane (1) (sectioned on the line 4--4 of FIG. 3), a bottle (7) of large diameter and a bottle (8) of small diameter. The cylindrical part of these bottles rests on a part of the curved line (2) of the opening in the plane (1) and the neck penetrates and is positioned in that part of the opening whose profile is represented, by the broken line M-N-A-B-C. In this manner both the cylindrical parts of the bottles and their necks always find at least two points of contact symmetrical with respect to the axis of the opening into which they'are inserted, their positioning thus being one which does not permit lateral sliding.

In this case, the bottles with their axes inclined to the plane and their stoppers pointing downwards, are in the so called wet stopper position, which serves for those cases in which it is required to collect the deposits from the wine in the stopper zone.

FIG. 6 shows the plane (1) (sectioned on the line 44 of FIG. 3) and a bottle (9) placed horizontally with its axis parallel to the support plane.

In this FIG. only one bottle has been drawn because the behavior of other types of bottle of diameters less than that shown is always the same. It is seen that the bottle (9) penetrates partly into the aperture on the plane (1) and findsin it always at least three points of contact which give it stable positioning without the possibility of lateral sliding. Two of these points are formed by the intersection of the circle of the base of the bottle and the sides B-C and M-N of the broken line A-B-C-M-N which is used also for positioning the neck of the bottles as illustrated in the previous FIG. 5, and the third is the vertex G of the semi-ellipse 2).

The compoundable unit, the object of the present invention, is derived from that previously described by joining together in a single rectangular frame a number of elements comprising six shelves which allow six bottles to be positioned parallel one to the other. Said rectangular frame is made in a single piece from pressed plastics materials. The frame is shaped in such a manner as to permit the formation of multi-shelf display arrangements, and also to permit one frame to be inserted into a similar one and so on, so as to reduced to a minimum the overall dimensions with regard to packaging and/or storage of a plurality of units as previously stated.

FIGS. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 represent in practice the con structional drawings of a frame forming the compoundable unit having one or more bottle-receiving elements or shelves according to the invention. These Figs. show planes (10) for positioning the bottles, openings (11) shaped as previously described, sides (12) with an upper edge (13) which serves for setting and resting on another frame 100, back walls (14) and front walls (15), pegs (16) and (18) and holes (17) and (19) which serve for connecting together various frames constituting the compoundable unit for the purpose of forming the various superimposed shelves of a display unit arrangement, transversal elements (22) with their respective depressed zones (20) and (21) and support surfaces (23) for that transversal element (22) which is without pegs and holes.

It can be seen that the pegs and their corresponding holes are disposed on the frame 100 alternately, and those on the right-hand side are offset with respect to those on the left, whereas the central transversal element (22) is without them. This means that by superimposing one frame (element) upside down on a similar one, as will be explained for FIG. 12, the pegs of one penetrate the holes of the other thus obtaining a stable connection between a number of horizontal superimposed units in the required display arrangement.

It should be noted that the edge (13) and the side (12) are secured by a connecting piece (25) at the ends of the sides (12) in the zone which comprises the pegs (18) and holes (19) for strengthening the zone concerned.

FIG. 12 shows how three superimposed frames 100 or units are connected. The assembly thereof proceeds by following the same principle. This FIG. shows three units sectioned, substantially on the line 11-11 in FIG. 7(for' FIG. 11), at the connection devices consisting of the pegs (l6) and (18) and the holes (17) and (19). The FIG. also shows the depressed zones (21) forming part of the transversal strengthening elements FIG. 13 shows a display arrangement formed by way of example of only three units which rest on a plane (K) by means of the connecting pegs (16) which in this case function as actual support feet. In this arrangement it would, however, not be possible to place the bottles with their axes inclined starting from that particular resting plane (K).

It would be necessary to leave in such an arrangement at least the bottommost units empty and start from a second plane. This can be avoided by including a fourth horizontal unit, inverted with respect to the lowermost of the units positioned therebelow, and indicated by broken lines in the FIG. In this case the display arrangement would rest on a plane indicated by (V) by means of the coupling pegs (18) which, as in the former case of the pegs (16), would function as actual support feet.

FIG. 14 shows clearly that because all surfaces of the components, constituting the frame which forms the compoundable unit according to the invention, are inclined, they allow the nesting of each frame into another equal one, obtaining in this manner a reduction in bulk which is very useful in relation to storage and/or packaging.

What we claim is:

l. A compoundable unit of small packaging dimensions, adapted to be tiered with one or more superimposed similar units for forming display arrangements for bottles of various sizes and facilitating support of 'the latter in varied modes of inclination, said unit comprising a substantiallyrectangular frame having a plurality of bottle receiving elements, each said element including a generally horizontal shelf surface and upwardly inclined wall portions, said wall portions permitting nesting of several of said units into each other to effect a reduction in packaging and storage space, each of said shelf surfaces including a partially elliptically shaped opening, having an extending polygonal aperture portion symmetrically extending along the major axis of each of said shelf surfaces, each of said shelf surfaces being adapted to support a bottle to extend through said opening for positioning the neck of the bottle in an inclined position with'said neck pointing downwardly, or with the bottle in an horizontal or an inclined position with said neck pointing upwardly.

2. The unit as claimed in claim 1, said frame having two lateral sides thereof including two plane edges for tiering and supporting superimposed units so as to construct a display arrangement.

3. The unit as claimed in claim 1, said frame being made of a unitary pressed plastics material component.

4. The unit as claimed in claim 1, a display arrangement being formed for the bottles by superimposing a plurality of said units in alternate upright and inverted relationship.

5. The unit as claimed in claim 4 said display arrangement being formed by a plurality of said units in superimposed tiered relationship, the bottom unit of said arrangement adapted to be positioned in two different inverted positions so as to form an alternate support surface for the display arrangement.

6. The unit as claimed in claim 4, comprising means effecting a rigid connection between superimposed of said units forming the display arrangements, said means including cooperative pegs and holes disposed in said units so as to be able to interconnect said alternately upright and inverted units.

7. The unit as claimed in claim 6, said frame comprising internal transversal reinforcing structure including said pegs and holes. 

1. A compoundable unit of small packaging dimensions, adapted to be tiered with one or more superimposed similar units for forming display arrangements for bottles of various sizes and facilitating support of the latter in varied modes of inclination, said unit comprising a substantially rectangular frame having a plurality of bottle receiving elements, each said element including a generally horizontal shelf surface and upwardly inclined wall portions, said wall portions permitting nesting of several of said units into each other to effect a reduction in packaging and storage space, each of said shelf surfaces including a partially elliptically shaped opening, having an extending polygonal aperture portion symmetrically extending along the major axis of each of said shelf surfaces, each of said shelf surfaces being adapted to support a bottle to extend through said opening for positioning the neck of the bottle in an inclined position with said neck pointing downwardly, or with the bottle in an horizontal or an inclined position with said neck pointing upwardly.
 2. The unit as claimed in claim 1, said frame having two lateral sides thereof including two plane edges for tiering and supporting superimposed units so as to construct a display arrangement.
 3. The unit as claimed in claim 1, said frame being made of a unitary pressed plastics material component.
 4. The unit as claimed in claim 1, a display arrangement being formed for the bottles by superimposing a plurality of said units in alternate upright and inverted relationship.
 5. The unit as claimed in claim 4, said display arrangement being formed by a plurality of said units in superimposed tiered relationship, the bottom unit of said arrangement adapted to be positioned in two different inverted positions so as to form an alternate support surface for the display arrangement.
 6. The unit as claimed in claim 4, comprising means effecting a rigid connection between superimposed of said units forming the display arrangements, said means including cooperative pegs and holes disposed in said units so as to be able to interconnect said alternately upright and inverted units.
 7. The unit as claimed in claim 6, said frame comprising internal transversal reinforcing structure including said pegs and holes. 